New Orleans + The Cure.

November 6, 2013

A little more than a year ago, I wrote a post about how little traveling I do. It was difficult to write because it’s always been something I’m a bit ashamed of, but (as is often the case with the posts I hesitate to write) I felt braver and stronger once it was done. A few weeks later I traveled to London and had a wonderful time. This past June I went to my friends Lisa and Clay’s beautiful wedding in San Francisco, last month I went to Palm Springs for Camp Mighty and yesterday I got back from a long weekend in New Orleans! Look at me: Anna Dorfman, occasional traveler. Who could have predicted?

A very good friend of mine moved from Brooklyn to New Orleans about six years ago, and I’d been talking about the possibility of making a visit for a while. Our birthdays are a couple of days apart (I turned 38 right before Halloween — hello, 38!), and just by chance it turned out that The Cure were scheduled to play on the last night of Voodoo Fest. K and I met because of our love for The Cure and it’d been years since we’d gone to a show together…so really, how could I not go? Everything just seemed to fall into place perfectly. This was my first visit to New Orleans, and I loved it. What a magical place!

K and her husband and son live in an incredible 1875 house in the Bywater neighborhood. She has always had the best sense of style when it comes to interiors, and unsurprisingly her home is amazingly beautiful inside and out. I slept in a bedroom painted black from the bottom up, save for a white beadboard ceiling. So perfect and cave-like. (And no, sorry, she doesn’t have a blog, haha. Believe me, it was all I could do to not take a million pictures!)

Like all grown-up former (?) goths, we made sure to visit a cemetery. Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is the oldest in New Orleans, all crumbly and beautiful and densely packed. (I also just learned that a New Kids on the Block video was filmed there, so, um, a slight reduction in goth points.)

GOATS!!! This guy was just walking around a residential neighborhood with a couple of goats on leashes. They were super soft.

Top to bottom, left to right:
(1) I have a new appreciation for shutters now, especially when they’re floor-to-ceiling (2) Pretty outdoor lights at Pizza Delicious (the vegan campanelle was very good) (3) Living room mantle, fancy fancy (4) Belated vegan peanut butter birthday cake from Shake Sugary (5) Me, all moody right before the Cure concert (6) Matching manicures (Saints colors totally unintentional) with my waiter at Booty’s

Here’s a silly little video I made of a lenticular photo stuck to a door in the French Quarter. Love!

Top to bottom, left to right:
(1) Drinks at Cane & Table — I had the Valeira Gorge: Portal Tawny Port, Banks 7 Year Rum, lime, fresh coconut water, vanilla and Angostura bitters (2) Skulls grow on agave plants in New Orleans, FACT (3) Dinner from the Fat Falafel truck (4) Freret Street (5) LIZARD!!! I saw a lizard in the wild for the first time, very exciting (6) Perfect tofu scrambles and coffees at Satsuma

This is Willie. He was just a little kid when he lived in Brooklyn, and now he’s an old man. I love French bulldogs and all of their grunty croissant-marshmallow-bodiedness. He’s such a sweet guy, and a very patient model.

THE CURE!!! Yayyyyyyyy. I’ve never succeeded in taking good photos at a Cure concert, and this time was no exception (here are some MUCH better ones!). No matter, though, because the show was great as usual. The Cure will for always and ever be my most favorite band, and the best way to experience them (I mean other than locked in your dark bedroom with headphones on, age 15) is LIVE. Their festival shows are shorter by default, but 2+ hours is still nothing to sneeze at. Plus, I got to hear “Burn” played live for the first time ever, and it sounded like a whole new song — like it came off of Pornography instead of The Crow soundtrack! So great.

Some classic Robert Smith dance moves…

My lovely friend Roger doing his thing up on on stage. Toss that hair, shake that tambourine! What a fun night. It’s been two years since the last time I saw The Cure, which is far too long to go between shows. I’m so glad I made this trip!

Thank you so, so much to K (+ family) for being such wonderful hosts and for having me stay in your beautiful home. I had the most amazing time. And thank you Roger for everything I can possibly thank a person for.

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37 Comments

Wow lucky you.
I had my birthday this weekend, after shopping with her father (for gifts) our youngest comes home (7) and tells me: “Mom we just bought you a fantastic present!”. Turns out it is Electric Lady by Janelle Monea. So funny. Congratulations to you!

Look at you jet setter! :) That’s awesome…Traveling defines us, I think it’s great that you’re doing more of it…And NoLa is such a magical place…I visited there again this summer on a road trip and plan on going again, so much to see, so much history, such a beautiful place. I bet the VooDoo Fest was amazing — Especially since The Cure played. I have lived vicariously through you in this post.

Steph, what setting do you have the camera on? I either leave it on automatic or put it in “party” mode (always always always with the flash disabled) if it’s a show with lots of crazy lights like this one.

I LOVE your New Orleans pics! It is one of my favorite places ever, and your pictures capture the best parts — magical, mysterious, creepy, beautiful; delicious sights, sounds, and flavors. It gets in your blood.

I stayed in Bywater when I visited (it was definitely at the top of my list of places to see), it’s such a great neighbourhood :) And The Cure! Perfect! We saw Steve Earle, which I suppose is appropriate enough. I love the oozing history and music, thanks for sharing your lovely pictures.

GOATS. Pet goats?! I am super jealous of that guy. And they’re so pretty. Fashion goats! Did he tell you what they were about?

I lived in a small town a few years back and became fixated briefly on getting a pet goat as a companion for me and my dog only to learn they were forbidden in Small Town. But somehow not in New Orleans. That’s magical.

I have never seen the Cure live, but it’s one of my dreams. Even though I was born in ’87, I spent a lot of time in high school in my room listening to the Cure on headphones (I was the only person I knew who listened to them). Thanks for sharing the great photos!

wonderful photos ! and very clever use of “for always and ever”. Once a Cure fan always a Cure fan. Quite a while back, my son house sat for Roger, the keyboard player when he lived in Toronto (he had left the band for a few yrs.) I went in the house and was pretty pumped to see the music studio etc. (I didn’t touch anything!)

Love this post! I am glad you enjoyed my complicated home town. I was at Voodoo Sunday night! I staked out a spot against the front barricade on the left, so my pictures are from the opposite angle. It was a wonderful show.

Anna!! I’m so sad I didn’t know you were in town!! I totally would have stalked you….but not in a stalkerish sort of way. I really love your blog and have learned so much from you. I’m glad you had such a great time in my city. She really is perfect in so many ways! And OMG, goats. I cannot get a goat, I cannot get a goat, I cannot get a goat……